Statik Selektah

Born January 23, 1982, in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Patrick Baril gained early hands-on experience with recording gear through his parents' eight-track machine, cassette recorders, and turntable. During middle school he began spinning records at school events, yet exposure to DJ Premier's scratching and mixing on Funkmaster Flex's Hot 97 program crystallized his direction toward professional turntablism. At 14 he acquired his first set of turntables and mixer, operating initially as DJ Statik at clubs and private parties along the New England seaboard; the "Selektah" designation was added later. After residing in New Hampshire he returned to Massachusetts in 2000 and enrolled in the audio production curriculum at Boston's New England Institute of the Arts, simultaneously launching the Spell My Name Right mixtape series.

These mixtapes and club appearances provided consistent platforms for Boston and broader New England hip-hop, most notably when he introduced fellow Lawrence native Termanology to East Coast listeners through the Hood Politics installments of the mid- to late 2000s. Founding the PR and marketing company ShowOff in 2003 simplified coordination of his multiple roles, and in 2006 the operation became an official label whose debut release was Termanology's Out the Gate LP. By that point his profile had risen sharply: his radio programs aired from London to Mobile, Alabama; he supplied beats to G-Unit, AZ, and Joell Ortiz; and he delivered a steady stream of mixtapes pairing established names such as Nas, Q-Tip, John Legend, and Royce da 5'9" (notably The Bar Exam, co-hosted by DJ Premier) with emerging talent including Saigon.

Late 2007 marked his first fully self-produced official album, Spell My Name Right. Stick 2 the Script appeared the following year with contributions from Jadakiss, Freeway, Q-Tip, and CL Smooth. 100 Proof: The Hangover arrived in 2010, drawing on East Coast veterans Kool G Rap and M.O.P., underground staples Talib Kweli and Evidence, and rising voices Wale and Torae. In 2011 he issued collaborative projects Well-Done with Action Bronson and Lord Giveth, Lord Taketh Away with Freddie Gibbs, while also releasing his fourth studio album, Population Control.

A 2012 joint venture with Termanology under the name 1982 produced the album 2012; additional releases that year included Strong Arm Steady's Stones Throw project Stereotype and Bumpy Knuckles' Ambition. The Proposal, a team-up with Ransom, and the guest-laden Extended Play both surfaced in 2013. What Goes Around followed in 2014, supported by an expansive roster that included De La Soul, Action Bronson, and Freddie Gibbs. Lucky 7, the seventh studio album, landed in 2015 with appearances by Mick Jenkins, Royce da 5'9", and Joey Bada$$. The 2016 collaboration Statik KXNG paired him with KXNG Crooked, and 2017 brought the eighth studio set, 8, featuring 2 Chainz, Action Bronson, Joey Bada$$, and G-Eazy.

Shifting emphasis back to production, he contributed to projects by Westside Gunn, Termanology, Pro Era, and Nas. Further joint efforts—TrillStatik with Bun B, Saints X Sinners with Millyz, Yuck! with Anoyd, and Gran Turismo with Curren$y—carried into 2019. He resumed solo work with The Balancing Act in 2020, which showcased Nas, Method Man, Gary Clark, Jr., and additional guests.